ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this examination was twofold. The first was to determine what parameter(s) of movement were represented in the brain by analyzing brain electrical activity, the electroencephalogram (EEG). The second was to investigate the feasibility of using analysis of the EEG and movement behavior to assess head injuries.
Three different experiments were performed to execute these separate tasks. The first two experiments each utilized twelve volunteer subjects, all right-handed students from the Pennsylvania State University, and subjects were required to perform a variety of force production tasks by pressing on a load cell for a set duration of time. Different subjects were used for all experiments. Continuous EEG data was collected simultaneously with performance of the force production tasks, in order to analyze the grand readiness potential that accompanies initiation and control of a movement.
The first two experiments indicated that rate of force
development had the highest correlation with the peak amplitude of the
readiness potential, indicating that this parameter of movement may be
represented in the brain. The third experiment was performed with four
right-handed volunteers (Penn State students) who had either suffered,
or had a history of, head injuries. Observable differences were demonstrated
in both the EEG (in time and frequency domains) and in control of force
production, when compared with normal data from the second experiment,
indicating a need for future research.
Concussion assessment techniques
Simon, R., Slobounov, S., Tutwiler, R., Sebastianelli, W., & Kraemer, W. (1999). Developing and implementing a force production analysis algorithm to assess people with concussions. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 13(2), 139-147.
Figures shows abnormalities in force trajectory
formation in subjects suffering from mild traumatic brain injury (up to
90 days post-injury)
More resent line of research
Thompson, J., Sebastianelli, W., Slobounov, S. (2004). EEG and Postural Correlates of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Athletes. Neuroscience Letters.
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), or concussion, is
one of the least understood injuries facing the neuroscience and sports
medicine community today. The notion of transient dysfunction and
rapid symptom resolution is misleading since symptom resolution is not
indicative of injury resolution. Our working hypothesis is that there
are residual postural and EEG abnormalities in concussed individuals that
could be reliably assessed using appropriate research methodology.
This paper presents combined postural and electroencephalographic (EEG)
findings suggesting the persistent functional deficits in athletes suffering
from MTBI. Twelve concussed athletes and twelve normal controls participated
in the study. There was a decrease in EEG power in all bandwidths
studied in concussed subjects, especially in standing postures. This
was accompanied by sustained postural instability especially under the
no vision testing condition. Overall, this study demonstrated the
presence of long-term functional abnormalities in individuals suffering
from mild traumatic brain injury.